The lower house of the Indian Parliament passed three criminal laws on Wednesday (Dec 20), namely the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will replace the Indian Penal Code-1860, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita will replace the CrPC of 1973 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill will replace the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.

The three bills were passed even as a whopping 97 MPs of the house, hailing from the opposition parties, remained suspended following their protest over the parliament security breach.

While speaking during presenting the new criminal law bills, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that there will be a provision for the death penalty for the crime of mob lynching.

The minister also added that the British-era sedition law will also be done away with, which he said was used by the colonisers to put Indian freedom fighters in jail.

"The sedition law made by the British, under which Tilak Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, and many of our freedom fighters remained in jail for years, and that law continues till date. For the first time, the Modi government has decided to completely abolish the sedition law," he said while speaking in the Lok Sabha.

The home minister said the three proposed laws will strengthen police accountability. 

Shah said that the details of the arrested person will now have to be maintained by each police station, with a designated police officer ensuring the records are maintained properly.

Regarding registration of cases, Shah said, under the proposed laws, after a person files a complaint, an FIR will have to be registered within three days or a maximum of 14 days.

He also said that the government had made anti-trafficking laws gender-neutral.

While discussing hit-and-run cases, Shah said, "Accidental death and death due to negligence have been redefined--- if the person runs over someone with a car by accident-- if the driver takes the victim to the hospital, they will face lighter punishment, but a hit-and-run case will get higher punishment."

Amit Shah also said that the new laws will include a definition of terrorism. 

While speaking about the same, he said, "Till now there was no definition of terrorism in any law. For the first time now, the Modi government is going to explain terrorism. So that no one can take advantage of its lack."

(With inputs from agencies)